The increasing confusion over the awarding of penalties during the British and
Irish Lions tour has led to Andy Irvine calling for an overhaul of rugby’s
rules.

Both of the Lions Tests have been mired in controversy over the scrum and breakdown areas and the tourists’ team manager said on Tuesday night that he felt the need to speak out.

“Personally, I think that the laws of the game really do need a complete rethink,” Irvine said. “You only have to look at the scrummage and breakdown situation I think that 20 or 30 per cent of the time you should toss a coin up rather than have a decision.

“I’m not blaming the referees, because I think they have got almost an impossible job. I think the scrummage is a nightmare and the breakdown situation is not much better. I just think there has to be a serious rethink.

"If you track the Six Nations this year, I said to Warren Gatland in almost every game there will be a penalty at the first scrum, or a free-kick. Nine times out of 10 there was.

“I’ve seen two or three games in the last couple of years where 95 per cent of the game was one side but the other side happened to get good refereeing decisions and kick their goals. For the good of the game it would be nice if the better team won every single time.”